Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. The only things I can hold to my name are Theeon and a butt load of student debt. Student debt I wouldn't have if I owned Star Wars.
Galaxy Under Siege Ch.14Grand Admiral Thrawn waited in the shuttle that would take him down to Coruscant. Silently, he went over the details of the speech he had prepared, knowing full well how unlikely it would be for him to complete it. The political turmoil he would be subjected to upon arriving on Coruscant would undoubtedly be too unwieldy for anyone to complete more than a couple sentences before being cut off. Speeches would be turned into arguments within minutes. He breathed deeply and calmly. Thrawn had no doubt that he would be prepared for that environment; it was Lord Vader that concerned him. They had always kept any alliances made between them very secretive, in order to avoid the suspicions of the Emperor, which meant that many of their foes would be genuinely shocked that they had become allies. The positive side would be that their combined reputations would likely intimidate lesser foes; unfortunately, the negative side was that many would think their alliance was temporary and unstable.
The sound of footsteps and recycled breathing brought Thrawn out of his musings and he looked up as the Dark Lord entered. Lord Vader sat in the padded seat across from Thrawn. The admiral could see a change in Vader, an energy and confidence that had been absent since their first meeting after the Far Outsiders had attacked.
"You seem in fine spirits," Thrawn stated mildly. The admiral could feel Vader's eyes watching him through the mask.
Vader waited until the shuttle began to lift off its pad before responding, "I have recently been contacted by a very powerful ally…from the other side."
Thrawn raised an eyebrow, "You've been in contact with the rebels?"
Lord Vader made a dismissive gesture with his hand, "There is only one rebel that concerns me, Admiral. You know that better than most."
Thrawn gave a brief nod, "Are you certain your communications weren't breached? Such knowledge in the wrong hands could put the boy in great danger."
"We conversed through the Force, no one could have tapped into our conversation."
Thrawn leaned back slightly, "I see. What did Skywalker say to you?"
"He mentioned that a third of the rebel fleet has already been destroyed by the Far Outsiders. With the threat of the Empire on one side and the threat of the Far Outsiders on the other, the rebels are constantly on the move."
"Does Skywalker believe the rebels will become desperate enough to propose a truce?"
Vader paused, "Skywalker admitted that the rebels will be as hesitant to join forces with me as they would be with the Emperor himself…However, I believe there is someone else who can be used to coax the rebels to our side."
A half smile curled the corner of Thrawn's lips; he had a strong feeling he knew who that someone else was. "Ah and what do you propose, Lord Vader?"
"How we approach the rebels will depend entirely on what the outcome of our bid for the leadership of the Empire turns out. If we are able to successfully convince the political and military factions of the Empire to our side, we can try to convince them that we have the might and will to protect them…difficult given our past, but not impossible. Not when they get desperate enough, and I am certain that they will get desperate. If we fail at our task today, however unlikely, the rebels may see us as being trapped in a situation similar to theirs and thus be more open to an alliance."
Thrawn frowned slightly, "If we do fail than we will be in more need of their assistance, control of the situation would be as much in their hands as ours."
"Perhaps. But since you have already been in battle against the Far Outsiders, the rebels will be more likely to accept you expertise…and if the politicians of the Empire turn against us, we can easily use it to gain the rebels understanding," Vader paused for a moment, "We would suggest to them, however subtly, that Imperial anti-alien policies are being used against you."
Thrawn leaned back in his seat, pressing his fingertips together like a steeple, his eyes narrowed in thought. "In truth, Lord Vader, I have no doubt that the rebels will accept me…I am largely unknown to them, save for the information they have on me previously battling our mutual enemy…they may even see me as something of a hero. But how do we get them to accept you? Even if young Skywalker tries to intervene on your behalf, the animosity and mistrust they have against you would be a constant barrier against us…" He trailed off giving a slight shrug of his shoulders.
Vader tilted his head slightly in thought; "If we fail at the debates today, our best bet at ensuring the galaxy's safety may be to divide our forces. I have no doubt that even if our political enemies win, there will be many in the military who will wish to side with us. Those who are predominantly loyal to me will follow me into battle in the name of the Empire…those who follow you will do so for the greater good of the galaxy. We will need to word it in such a way that both Imperials and rebels will feel confident joining under your command."
Thrawn frowned, "The majority of Imperials will see that as desertion, my career in the Empire will be destroyed. Plus, our enemies will see it as a sign of weakness for you."
Vader stared at him intently, "There is, of course, another option. We send someone we both trust, beyond a shadow of a doubt, to go to the rebels on our behalf. Someone who won't be missed in the political or military arena but who is brilliant enough to understand and explain to the rebels any instructions or plans that we may require of them."
Thrawn looked out the window at the glittering lights of Coruscant. "It would have to be a secret. Sending someone in my place to the rebels could look almost as bad as going myself…at least for the time being. It would also need to be someone who could gain the rebels' trust quickly. We don't have much time to work with." Thrawn turned back to face Vader, "I take it you already have someone in mind?"
Vader was quiet a moment, as though trying to judge how the admiral would react. The Dark Lord leaned forward, "Keep in mind, Grand Admiral, that this option will only be necessary if the debates fail."
Thrawn's eyes narrowed, "You seem almost hesitant to tell me, Lord Vader."
Vader straightened in his seat, "Your expression tells me that you have already guessed my choice."
Thrawn's face hardened and his voice became icy. "Absolutely not. He's still recovering from an assassination attempt and has only just come out of a coma. There is no way I will consent to sending him on such a dangerous mission."
"There is no one better suited to the job, Admiral Thrawn. No one we can trust more, and no one whom the rebels will trust more. Think about it."
"No."
"He is the perfect choice. He is not a politician or member of the Imperial military, so the rebels will be unable to hold any personal grudges against him. As a doctor his skills will be highly valued and will further prove that he is trustworthy. He has grown up under your guidance and has thus learned many of the leadership skills and qualities that have made those under your command so unfailingly loyal to you."
Thrawn grit his teeth, "That doesn't mean he will be physically well enough to endure the trip, let alone the stress of the position."
Vader was quiet for a moment, "Did you wonder why I was late for the boarding?"
Thrawn's luminescent eyes seemed to glow dangerously, "You already told him!"
"He seemed quite certain that he would be able to recover in time."
"How dare you!" Thrawn hissed.
Vader held up his hand as though warding off a blaster bolt. "Every precaution is being taken, Grand Admiral. I have already informed Skywalker of your brother's condition and he assured me that he will guard your brother at all times. Dr. Theeon himself assured me that he would bring any medical that he may need. As I said, this move will only be necessary if we lose the debates."
Thrawn glared at the Dark Lord silently for several long minutes. Then, in a deceptively calm voice, "And if we win?"
Vader's head turned slightly, to look out the window as Imperial Palace came into view. "If we win, those who are wise will join us," his voice darkened, "and those who are not will die."
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Rufaan Tigellinus took great pride in tearing Lord Vader and Grand Admiral Thrawn apart with his words. Even before they had stepped foot on the planet he had already convinced most of the other Grand Admirals and Grand Moffs to join his side. Admittedly, Thrawn was in far better shape than he expected, and even managed to turn some of Tigellinus' points right out from under him. He grit his teeth in remembrance, despite the fact he won, in the end, that damnable alien still managed to humiliate him.
Lord Vader was also far better spoken than he had ever before seen him…it caused whispers among the others that the Dark Lord had hidden some of his political skills from the Emperor, for fear that the old man would have seen him as a threat.
Tigellinus frowned. If he was truly honest with himself, the only person he ever was truly honest with, he didn't tear them apart with his words at all. He was victorious over the political half, but the military had divided mostly evenly. For all his clever words and cruel jabs at Vader and Thrawn, the alien had provided enough visual evidence and concrete plans to convince many within the military to join him. What frustrated him the most was that one of the Grand Admirals had sided with Thrawn. While Tigellinus admittedly hated Osvald Teshik, it still irked him that the fool would side against him. Still, the rest of the Grand Admirals and Moffs joined him, with the exception of Ishin-Il-Raz, who had killed himself upon hearing of the Emperor's death. No loss there. He was no use in battle, anyways.
With the military split so evenly, he would have a much harder time proving himself the most worthy successor to the throne. He would need to have more victories against the Far Outsiders than Lord Vader and Thrawn put together…even with the other Grand Admirals on his side he had a nagging feeling he wouldn't be able to match them. A slow, cruel smile spread across his face…of course, he wouldn't have to match them. He just needed to sabotage them.
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The Alliance command had decided to take a break from the non-stop traveling by taking a break on a small, uninhabited moon. The largest ships remained in orbit while the smaller fighters and freighters landed. The rest was only to be for a few days, with groups of rebels taking turns on the planet and monitoring the ships, but it was a welcome relief. Luke Skywalker stood next to his X-wing and stretched his stiff muscles. Looking around the grassy field he had landed in, he watched as other X-wing pilots dismounted their ships. Above him, the Millennium Falcon moved to land nearby. Luke smiled as he watched the ship descend. His conversation with Darth Vader had given him a new sense of hope, and he wanted to share some of it with his friends. It would certainly be difficult to convince the others to follow along with any plans endorsed by Vader, but he also knew that their options were slim. Whether they liked it or not, for the Alliance to survive, they would need the help of their former enemies.
There were details he would leave out, for now. Just as their were secrets about his friends he kept from Vader, first and foremost Leia's true identity, so too would he have to keep some of Vader's secrets from his friends. He disagreed with his father's desire to become the next emperor, but had a strong hope that working alongside the rebels would help his father abandon that greedy desire. While the others might suspect that Vader was vying for the throne, Luke would be sure only to mention the plans for battling the Far Outsiders and the truce between the Empire and the Alliance.
Luke started walking toward the Falcon as Leia stepped out of the ship. She smiled when she spotted him, and moved quickly through the tall grass to meet him. Behind her, Han, Chewie and Lando followed swiftly, all looking tense with worry.
Leia reached him first and gave him a hug. "Luke we were so worried about you! What's wrong? We tried contacting you several times, but didn't get any response until Admiral Ackbar ordered us to land here. Even then all we heard was your acknowledgement of the order."
Luke winced, "I didn't mean to worry any of you. I had been practicing meditating when I…when I had a vision."
Han's eyebrows raised, "Vision of what kid?"
Luke smiled, "I think we might be getting some much needed help really soon."
Leia grabbed his arm excitedly, "From whom, Luke?"
"I have a strong feeling that the Empire is divided…and that one half will be betrayed by the other. The members of the betrayed half will come to us to join forces."
Lando frowned, "How will we be able to trust them?"
Luke hesitated; this was the part where he wasn't sure how much to say. He decided to stick as closely to the truth as he could. "I had a vision of the Grand Admiral Thrawn. Despite having heroically protected the Empire, and the galaxy as a whole, from the Far Outsiders, others in the Empire seek his downfall."
Chewie let out an angry roar. Han shook his head disgustedly, "You said it, Chewie, sounds like another charming case of Imperial anti-alien policy."
Leia's eyes widened, "Luke if this vision is true we could be gaining an enormously powerful ally! Surely, the admiral will be able to convince some of his men to follow him."
Lando nodded, "From what I've been able to dig up about this guy, almost everyone who works for him becomes extremely loyal to him. His men see him as a hero, a leader who will actually fight and die for his people. I can't imagine politics getting in the way of that kind of loyalty."
Luke held up his hands, "Nothing is certain, yet. But I didn't want to keep that hope to myself."
Han clapped him on the back, "Well after that scare you gave us, it was the least you could do."
Luke smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, I'll try to warn you next time I start to meditate."
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Dr. Theeon sat up slowly in the medical bed and leaned against a pillow propped against the wall behind him. No horrible spasms or bouts of nausea rolled through him and he let out a soft sigh of relief. All he had to do now was recover sufficiently in the next few minutes to convince Grand Admiral Thrawn that he was healthy enough to go on a vitally important mission into possibly hostile enemy territory. A wry grin spread across Theeon's face. He was in for the argument of his life.
Theeon already knew that Thrawn and Darth Vader had lost their political debate. Vader had sent him a brief message shortly after the meeting had finished to update him on the situation. Theeon knew it was a very bad sign that it was Vader, and not his brother, who had contacted him. In honesty, he couldn't really blame Thrawn for being angry with him. His brother had suffered almost losing him not once, but twice with hardly any space between the two incidents to recover from the shock. Theeon looked at the holocube sitting on the small table beside his bed. Thrawn had left it for Theeon when he had first been brought aboard the ship. The young doctor reached out and picked it up, turning it to see the various images. One side showed Theeon as a baby with his parents. Another side showed Thrawn holding him when he was only three…Thrawn had been rescued from exile by the Imperials just months before and had managed to strike a deal with them that allowed him to visit his family, at least for a short while. Theeon turned the cube again. The next image was taken after their parents' deaths, when Thrawn had been forced to take Theeon in, or risk losing his baby brother forever. Thrawn had been forced to raise Theeon on a Star Destroyer those first few months, leaving him alone in Thrawn's small room for long hours at a time. This particular image had been taken when Theeon had decided to amuse himself by imitating his big brother, attempting to wear one of Thrawn's far too big uniforms. He had expected Thrawn to be angry with him when he walked in, but Thrawn had just chuckled and took the image.
"I can hardly blame you for being bored, cooped up as you are, poor boy."
Theeon's head shot up when he heard Thrawn's voice, repeating what he had said so many years ago. "A'dabeo! I hadn't expected you back so soon."
Thrawn raised an eyebrow. His voice was mild but there was anger behind it, "No? I would almost think you were hoping I would find you looking at that holocube."
Theeon gave him a genuinely puzzled look, "I don't understand."
Thrawn's anger seemed to seep away and he sighed. Theeon watched as his brother pulled up a chair next to him and sat down wearily. A shudder of guilt ran through the young doctor. Thrawn looked up and held out his hand, Theeon handed him the holocube and watched as Thrawn turned it over in his hands. There was silence for several minutes as Thrawn took his time studying every image. He stopped at last and held out the cube to Theeon. The image Thrawn was showing him was of Theeon's graduation from medical school.
"It's hard to believe that was over ten years ago, isn't it? You were the youngest in your class…the youngest in Chiss recorded history…to have that achievement."
"I've spent so much time in hospitals in my life, it was easy to remember a thing or two." As soon as the words left his mouth Theeon cursed himself. The last thing he wanted to do was remind Thrawn of his poor health record. He noticed Thrawn's posture stiffen slightly.
"Then you understand why I don't want you to do this?"
"You didn't want me to leave for medical school so young either, and look what I achieved by going out on my own. Besides, you were a Force Commander at a Chiss military outpost at a younger age than I am now."
Thrawn looked him straight in the eyes; "Our family has made a great many achievements and broken many records in a very short amount of time. There are also only two of us left now. There are times I cannot help but think that it's not a coincidence." Thrawn stood up.
Theeon reached out and took Thrawn's wrist, "I won't fail you a'dabeo. I promise."
Thrawn looked down at him, "I know you won't, kis'a'dabeo. If I thought you were anything but the perfect choice, I wouldn't be giving my consent." Thrawn gave a small, self-deprecating smile. "Though I know at your age, you don't really need it."
Theeon smiled warmly, "I will always seek your approval, a'dabeo, even when I don't do what you want me to do."
Thrawn shook his head; "I suppose I'll have settle for that. Truth be told, I couldn't call you on it even if I wanted to." He gave Theeon a wry smile; "It was the same deal I always used on our parents, when I was young."
Theeon leaned back into the pillow; "I suppose I should get a bit more rest while you and Lord Vader finish the plans for the mission."
Thrawn nodded, "We will contact you when all the necessary arrangements have been made."
"Thank you."
Theeon watched as Thrawn moved to leave. A thought struck him, "A'dabeo?"
Thrawn looked over his shoulder, "Yes?"
"Do remember that you need to rest. I can't sleep for the both of us."
Thrawn said nothing, but Theeon could hear his brother's chuckle as he left the room. Theeon smiled at the sound.